MOSINEE - Efforts to change the Indians mascot and nickname for the Mosinee School District have hit an obstacle.

The Mosinee School Board on Tuesday struck down a proposal brought forward by a group of high school students to pursue a new mascot. The students presented their findings from a survey conducted last month asking staff, community members and their peers whether the district should change the mascot, and if so, what recommendations they had for a new one.

More than 1,400 people responded to the survey and overwhelmingly supported a change, Student Senate President Lauren Kaiser told the board Tuesday.

The district's current mascot is the Indians, with a block "M" for a logo. The caricature and use of the word Indian has been phased out over the years in the school district, said athletic director Zach Zebro, although some remnants remain.

Controversy surrounding the "Indians" moniker in Mosinee first surfaced in the 1990s, with American Indian advocates contending that the use of the mascot and nickname was demeaning. The district started phasing out the logo and nickname in the early 2000s.

Students behind the initiative contend the "M" stifles school spirit and believe a new mascot could rekindle energy within the school. It would also allow the district to brand apparel and the gym floor with a different logo, they said.

If the board had backed a mascot change, the students would've prepared a second survey with a list of possible mascots for people to vote on.

But in a 5-3 vote, the board opted not to move forward, with some members suggesting there needs to be more community input on the matter. Board members Matthew Barnes, Michael Kaiser and Kevin Thiel favored the change. Mark Gewiss, Diane Gorman, Carolyn Krautkramer, Cory Tomczyk and Kelli Zebro voted against it.